1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to attachments to ladders and, more particularly, to ladder attachments especially adapted for retaining paint cans, brushes, and other items used by a person using a ladder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a person has climbed a ladder, the person often needs to bring a number of items with one up the ladder. For example, when the person is doing painting, the person must bring up a paint can and a paint brush. Moreover, there are times when the person uses such items while up the ladder, and there are other times when the person needs one hands free for other items, and such items brought up the ladder must be relinquished from one's hands. In this regard, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to retaining items that are carried up a ladder, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,099,693, 4,186,903, 4,702,446, 5,181,682, and 5,649,682. More specifically, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,099,693, 4,186,903, 4,702,446, and 5,649,682 discloses a ladder-mounted device for holding a paint can, wherein the ladder-mounted is supported by the ladder by extending a portion of the ladder-mounted device into a hollow ladder rung. Not all ladders have hollow rungs. Therefore, ladder-mounted devices that use hollow ladder rungs cannot be used with all ladders. In this respect, it would be desirable if a ladder-mounted, paint can retention device does not require the use of hollow ladder rungs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,682 discloses a tool holder that employs a mounting that employs a hollow ladder rung. For the reasons stated above, it would be desirable if a ladder-mounted tool holder were provided that does not employ hollow ladder rungs.
Still other features would be desirable in a ladder caddy apparatus. In this respect it is noted that a ladder is comprised of two rails and a number of rungs. In general, the rails must be stronger than the rungs. This being the case, it would be desirable if a ladder-mounted, item retention device were provided that uses rails on ladders for a portion of their support.
Nevertheless, aside from using a ladder rail for support, it would also be desirable to make use of the outside surfaces of rungs of ladders for support. Because rungs extend horizontally, the outside surfaces of rungs are generally easy to hang items from.
At times, it would be desirable to be able to support a relatively long item on a ladder in a horizontal orientation. For example, when a ladder is used elevating a person for installing a long piece of lumber at a horizontal orientation on an elevated portion of a house, it would be desirable if the ladder could support such a long piece of lumber in a horizontal orientation.
In addition, when a ladder is used for holding items, special attention should be paid to assure that items stored on the ladder do not fall off the ladder. Items which fall off the ladder can be dangerous to persons below. Moreover, the person on the ladder may have to climb down the ladder to retrieve fallen items.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use ladders to support a number of items, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a ladder caddy apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides a ladder-mounted, paint can retention device which does not require the use of hollow ladder rungs; (2) provides a ladder-mounted tool holder that does not employ hollow ladder rungs; (3) uses rails on ladders for a portion of their support; (4) uses the outside surfaces of rungs of ladders for support; (5) can support a long piece of lumber in a horizontal orientation; and (6) helps prevent items stored on the ladder from falling off the ladder. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique ladder caddy apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.